Dental system

ABSTRACT

A medical or dental system with at least one first transmitting and/or receiving unit and at least one second transmitting and/or receiving unit, wherein the at least two transmitting and/or receiving units are designed for the capacitive coupling of electric signals into and/or out of a human body, so that an electric path which extends through the human body of the user and/or of the person to be treated can be established for the transmission of electric signals between the at least one first transmitting and/or receiving unit and the at least one second transmitting and/or receiving unit, in order to transmit data between the at least two transmitting and/or receiving units.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/257,724, filed Sep. 6, 2016, which application is a U.S. bypasscontinuation application of International Application No.PCT/EP2015/054692, filed Mar. 6, 2015, which in turn claims priorityfrom pending European Patent Application No. EP 14157978.9, filed Mar.6, 2014, which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND Field

The present invention relates to a medical or dental system with atleast a first transmitting and/or receiving unit and at least a secondtransmitting and/or receiving unit, as well as to a method fortransmitting electrical signals and/or data between the at least firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit and the at least second transmittingand/or receiving unit of the medical or dental system.

Description of Prior Art

Such medical or in particular dental systems preferably are used for theprocessing of human or animal tissues. To this end, they preferablycomprise at least one medical, in particular a dental, straighthandpiece or contra-angled handpiece, a drive unit and/or a control unitwhich is or can be connected to the straight handpiece or contra-angledhandpiece, as well as at least one accessory designed for the operationwith the straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece and/or the driveunit and/or control unit.

The at least one straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece ispreferably designed to drive a tool which has an effect or works on atreatment site. The tool preferably is set in motion by means of anelectric motor, a pneumatic drive, or a piezo drive, which preferably islocated in the straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece or isconnected thereto, in particular by means of a coupling device.Furthermore, the at least one straight handpiece or contra-angledhandpiece can be designed to dispense radiation, fluids, energy,abrasive media, and/or to provide measurement data.

To drive and/or control the medical straight handpiece or contra-angledhandpiece, it is connected to the drive unit and/or control unit,preferably by means of a supply line. The drive unit and/or control unitprovides the working media needed for the medical straight handpiece orcontra-angled handpiece and/or tool, such as for example spray airand/or spray water for cooling, drive fluid, in particular compressedair, radiation or electrical energy to supply the electrical componentslocated in the straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece, such asfor example one or more light-emitting diodes to illuminate treatmentsites, sensors or electrical memories to store data, preferablyinstrument-related data.

Furthermore, the medical systems preferably comprise at least oneaccessory designed for the operation with the straight handpiece orcontra-angled handpiece and/or for the operation with the drive unitand/or control unit. Examples thereof include: Instrument holders forthe storage and support of the medical straight handpieces orcontra-angled handpieces or of tools, glasses, especially protectivegoggles or filter glasses to detect an anomaly on a tooth, hand mirrors,foot pedals to actuate the drive unit and/or control unit, displayelements which are connected to the drive unit and/or control unit bycables or in a wireless manner, or means to identify the user, such asfor example magnetic cards or chip cards.

The user has processing devices available for the processing, inparticular the cleaning, disinfecting, and/or sterilizing of the atleast one medical, in particular dental, straight handpiece orcontra-angled handpiece as well as for the processing of the accessoriesof the medical system. These sterilizers, autoclaves or thermaldisinfection units direct at least one operating medium into aprocessing chamber, in which the at least one medical, in particulardental, straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece or accessory isheld, preferably by a processing holder, or directly pass the medium tothe at least one medical straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece.As the operating medium, preferably fluids are used, such as for examplehot water or vapors, in particular saturated steam.

It is known from the prior art to provide the at least one straighthandpiece or contra-angled handpiece and/or accessory of the medicalsystem with an encoding in order to supply the working media of thedrive unit and/or control unit and/or the operating media of theprocessing device to the straight handpiece or contra-angled handpieceautomatically, depending on the straight handpiece or contra-angledhandpiece or accessory of the medical system which is connected throughthe supply hose to the drive unit and/or control unit or which islocated in the processing device, To this end, in particular theencoding comprises identification data, such as for example a serialnumber, which can be read by the drive unit and/or control unit and/orby the processing device by means of a reading device.

Such a medical, in particular a dental, system is known from EP 1 392193 B1.

This known medical system comprises a supply unit for supplying at leastone medical straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece with media, inparticular with water, compressed air, or light, wherein a supply lineruns from the supply unit, at the end of which a coupling part, whichcan be coupled to a corresponding coupling part of the straighthandpiece or contra-angled handpiece, is disposed. A memory element foridentification data is provided in the interior of the straighthandpiece or contra-angled handpiece which is accessible to thecorresponding coupling part of the supply line. Reading the memoryelement, in particular the transmission of data from the straighthandpiece or contra-angled handpiece to the supply unit, is achievedeither by mechanical contacting using electrical contacts in the twocoupling parts or by wireless contacting by means of two transponders.

Furthermore, the known medical system comprises a processing device withat least one coupling part which can also be coupled to thecorresponding coupling part of the straight handpiece or contra-angledhandpiece. Reading the memory element in the straight handpiece orcontra-angled handpiece, in this case, also takes place by means of amechanical contacting using electrical contacts or by means of awireless contacting using two transponders located in the coupling areaof the two coupling parts.

A disadvantage of this configuration of the medical system is thetransmission of electrical signals, in particular data, between thestraight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece and the supply unit and/orthe processing device. The transmission of signals and/or data ispossible only in a coupled state of the straight handpiece orcontra-angled handpiece with the supply unit and/or with the processingdevice. In particular, in the case of hardwired transmission of signalsusing electrical contacts, the coupling parts of the straight handpieceor contra-angled handpiece, the supply unit, and/or the processingdevice must be connected with each other.

But also when using transponders for wireless transmission, which havetransmitting and/or receiving coils for the transmitting and/orreceiving of signals, coupling of both coupling parts is required,because of the low transmitting and/or receiving power of the coils dueto the small size of the transmitting and/or receiving coils and becauseof the metallic materials in the components of the medical system, inparticular in their coupling parts.

SUMMARY

It is thus an object to create a medical or dental system which makes itpossible to ensure the secure transmission of electrical signals and/ordata between a first transmitting and/or receiving unit and a secondtransmitting and/or receiving unit. In particular, it is an object ofthe invention to guarantee the secure transmission of electrical signalseven when the components of the medical system are not connecteddirectly with one another.

This objective is accomplished by a medical or dental system whichcomprises at least a first transmitting and/or receiving unit and atleast a second transmitting and/or receiving unit, wherein the at leasttwo transmitting and/or receiving units are designed for thecapacitative coupling of electrical signals into and/or out of a humanbody, so that an electrical path for the transmission of electricalsignals between the at least one first transmitting and/or receivingunit and the at least one second transmitting and/or receiving unit,which extends through the human body of the user and/or the person to betreated, can be established in order to transmit data between the atleast two transmitting and/or receiving units.

According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one first transmittingand/or receiving unit and the at least one second transmitting and/orreceiving unit each comprises at least one printed circuit board forgenerating and/or receiving electromagnetic fields which can becapacitively coupled into and/or coupled out of the human body. Theleast one printed circuit board preferably comprises an electricallyinsulated base body with at least one electrical strip conductor. Thebase body preferably is formed by a flexible carrier material,preferably by a carrier film.

The capacitive coupling of the electrical signals and/or data, inparticular of the electromagnetic fields, into and/or out of the humanbody of the user and/or of the person to be treated preferably takesplace by contacting the human body with the printed circuit board.According to another preferred embodiment, the coupling of theelectromagnetic fields into and/or out of the human body takes placewithout contact.

To supply the printed circuit board with electrical energy and to emitelectrical signals, the at least one first transmitting and/or receivingunit and/or the at least one second transmitting and/or receiving unitpreferably comprise at least two electrical contacts or at least oneenergy storage system for electrical energy and at least a memory unitto store and/or output data.

Furthermore, the at least one first transmitting and/or receiving unitand/or the at least one second transmitting and/or receiving unit areeach disposed in a housing, the housing being designed in such a waythat the functionality of the first or second transmitting and/orreceiving unit disposed in the housing can be maintained even aftermultiple cleaning, care, and/or sterilization processes. The housingpreferably is made of a magnetic and electrically non-conductivematerial, in particular of plastic, glass, or ceramic, and comprises aholding device, in particular a thread, a clip, a clamp, and/or anotherform of retaining element, so that the at least one first transmittingand/or receiving unit and/or the at least one second transmitting and/orreceiving unit can be disconnected from the medical system.

According to another embodiment of the medical or dental system, the atleast one first transmitting and/or receiving unit and/or the at leastone second transmitting and/or receiving unit are disposed in or on amedical or dental straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece which isdesigned to drive a tool which works on a treatment site and/or to emitradiation, fluids, energy, and/or abrasive media and/or to providemeasurement data, and/or in or at a drive unit and/or control unit,which is connected to or can be connected to a straight handpiece orcontra-angled handpiece for the purpose of driving and/or controllingthe at least one straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece and/or inor on at least one accessory designed for the operation with thestraight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece and/or with the drive unitand/or control unit in order to transmit data between the straighthandpiece or contra-angled handpiece and/or the drive unit and/orcontrol unit and/or the accessory.

The at least one first transmitting and/or receiving unit or the atleast one second transmitting and/or receiving unit is preferablydisposed in or at a handle and/or holding part of the straight handpieceor contra-angled handpiece, the drive unit and/or control unit, and/orthe accessory. Alternatively, the at least one first transmitting and/orreceiving unit or the at least one second transmitting and/or receivingunit is preferably positioned in or at an actuating and/or operatingelement of the straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece, the driveunit and/or control unit, and/or the accessory, so that the at least twotransmitting and/or receiving units can be capacitively coupled with auser and/or a person to be treated.

According to a further embodiment of the medical or dental system, theat least one first transmitting and/or receiving unit and/or the atleast one second transmitting and/or receiving unit are disposed in orat a medical or dental processing device and/or in or at an accessorydesigned for operating with the processing device.

In this embodiment as well, the at least one first transmitting and/orreceiving unit or the at least one second transmitting and/or receivingunit is preferably disposed in or at an actuating and/or operatingelement or in or at a handle part or gripping part of the processingdevice or of the accessory for the processing device.

According to an embodiment of a method for the transmission ofelectrical signals and/or data between at least one first transmittingand/or receiving unit and at least one second transmitting and/orreceiving unit of a medical or dental system, the transmission of theelectrical signals and/or data takes place by means of: providing atleast one first transmitting and/or receiving unit and at least onesecond transmitting and/or receiving unit which are designed tocapacitively couple electrical signals into and/or out of a human body;capacitively coupling the at least two transmitting and/or receivingunits with the human body of the user and/or of the person to betreated; establishing an electrical path between the at least one firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit and the at least one secondtransmitting and/or receiving unit, which extends through the human bodyof the user and/or of the person to be treated; and transmitting theelectrical signals between the at least two transmitting and/orreceiving units.

The present medical or dental system is distinguished by a series ofsignificant advantages.

The medical, in particular dental system in in particular permitssignals and/or data to be transmitted between the at least one firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit and the at least one secondtransmitting and/or receiving unit without these having to be connectedand/or coupled to one another directly. Thus signals and/or data can betransmitted through an electrical path extending through the human bodyof the user and/or of the person to be treated between components of themedical, in particular dental system, which are at a distance from oneanother, in particular between the straight handpiece or contra-angledhandpiece, the drive unit and/or control unit, the processing device,and/or the accessory for the several components.

Furthermore, the medical, in particular dental system can ensure thesecure transmission of signals and/or data between the at least onefirst transmitting and/or receiving unit and the at least one secondtransmitting and/or receiving unit even when the at least twotransmitting and/or receiving units of the medical system are notcoupled directly to one another. The use of the human body of the userand/or of the person to be treated as an electrical path for thetransmission of electrical signals and/or data prevents the risk ofendangering the signal and/or data transfer. In the case of an inductiveenergy and/or data transfer, as is known from the prior art, the signaland/or data transfer can be disturbed by electrical counterfieldsgenerated by metallic components in the vicinity of the transmittingand/or receiving coils.

The invention will be explained below on the basis of severalembodiments and in connection with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the medical or dental system with adrive unit and/or control unit, a medical or dental handpiece, and anaccessory for the operation with the handpiece, which is designed inthis embodiment as a pair of glasses, in particular as filter glassesfor the detection of an anomaly on a tooth.

FIG. 1A shows a cutaway view of the medical or dental handpiece in FIG.1.

FIG. 1B shows a cutaway view of the accessory for the operation with thehandpiece, in particular of the glasses of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the medical or dental system with amedical or dental handpiece, a drive unit and/or control unit, and withmultiple embodiments of the accessory designed for the operation withthe handpiece.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the medical or dental system with amedical or dental contra-angle handpiece and a, in particular wireless,drive unit and/or control unit which can be coupled to the contra-anglehandpiece, a base unit, as well as a second drive unit and/or controlunit, which is in particular integrated into a treatment unit.

FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the medical or dental system with aprocessing device for processing a medical or dental straight handpieceor contra-angled handpiece and an accessory designed for the operationwith the processing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The first embodiment of the medical or dental system 1, shown in FIG. 1,comprises a drive unit and/or control unit 12 with a medical, inparticular a dental handpiece 5 and an accessory 34 designed for theoperation with the handpiece 5. The accessory in this case isconstructed as glasses 34, in particular filter glasses for thedetection of an anomaly on a tooth.

The drive unit and/or control unit 12 comprises a housing 13 with ahandpiece holder 17. On the front, the drive unit and/or control unit 12has an operating unit 14. This is formed by a display 15 with aplurality of operating elements 16 for displaying and adjusting theoperating parameters of the drive unit and/or control unit 12 and/or ofthe medical handpiece 5. Furthermore, the drive unit and/or control unit12 has a fluid tank 18. Finally, in order to drive, control and/orsupply the medical handpiece 5 with spray air and/or spray water forcooling or with electrical energy, it is connected via a supply line 19with the drive unit and/or control unit 12.

The handpiece 5 itself is formed by a handle part 6. Preferably a driveis disposed within the handle part 6 to drive the tool 87. In additionto the drive, the handpiece 5 has a light source 7. Preferably, this isring-shaped and comprises at least one first light-emitting diode forthe illumination of the treatment site and at least a secondlight-emitting diode for detection of an anomaly at a treatment site.The at least one second light-emitting diode preferably emitselectromagnetic radiation, which comprises one or more wavelengthsranging from about 380 nm to 420 nm. The at least two light-emittingdiodes are optionally controllable, in particular they can be activated,by the drive unit and/or control unit 12, so that light source 7 can beused either to illuminate the treatment site or to detect an anomaly.

The accessory, which is formed as glasses 34, in particular, as filterglasses, comprises two filters 88, 99, which are designed to allowradiation, emitted from the tooth to be examined to pass through, thewavelength of the radiation being suitable for detecting an anomaly on atooth. The filters 88, 89 are held in a holder 36 of the glasses frame35 of filter glasses 34. In addition to holder 36, the glasses 34comprise two temples 38, 39 and a support 37 for fastening the filters88, 89 on a user.

For the automatic selection of the at least one first light-emittingdiode of the light source 7 for illuminating the treatment site or theat least one second light-emitting diode, which is used in conjunctionwith filter glasses 34 for detecting an anomaly on a tooth, the medicalsystem 1 has a first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 and a secondtransmitting and/or receiving unit 77. The first transmitting and/orreceiving unit 74 is located in the filter glasses 34, in particular inthe temple 39 or in the holder 37, and the second transmitting and/orreceiving unit 77 is located in the handle part 6 of handpiece 5. Bothunits, the first as well as the second transmitting and/or receivingunits 74, 77 are designed for the capacitive coupling of electricalsignals C₁, C₂ into and/or out of the human body 81. Therefore, if bothunits 74, 77, in particular the filter glasses 34 and handpiece 5, arecoupled to the human body 81 of the user, an electrical path 82 for thetransmission of electrical signals between the first transmitting and/orreceiving unit 74 and the second transmitting and/or receiving unit 77can be established. Signals received by the second transmitting and/orreceiving unit 77 disposed in handpiece 5 are preferably forwardedthrough the supply line 19 to the drive unit and/or control unit 12, inparticular to its control circuit. If the drive unit and/or control unit12 thus receives at least one electrical signal from the firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of the filter glasses 34 (the userwears filter glasses 34 while performing the treatment), said unitautomatically activates the at least one second light-emitting diode fordetecting an anomaly on a tooth. If no signal is received (the user hastaken off the filter glasses 34), the drive unit and/or control unit 12automatically activates the at least one first light-emitting diode forilluminating the treatment site. Manual switching between the at leastone first and at least one second light-emitting diode is therefore nolonger necessary.

FIG. 1A shows a cutaway view of the medical handpiece 5 of FIG. 1 withthe second transmitting and/or receiving unit 77. The transmittingand/or receiving unit 77, disposed in the handle part 6, preferably ismade up of a printed circuit board 83 for generating and/or receivingelectromagnetic fields. The printed circuit board 83 itself preferablyhas an electrically insulated base body 85 and at least one stripconductor 86. The base body 85 preferably is formed of a flexiblecarrier material, in particular by a carrier film. To supply the printedcircuit board 83 with electrical energy and/or to output received and/ortransmitted electrical signals, the transmitting and/or receiving unit77 has at least two electrical contacts 75, 76. Furthermore, the printedcircuit board 83 preferably is disposed in the handle part 6 in such away, that it can be coupled capacitively with a user and/or with aperson to be treated. To this end, it is preferably disposed on theinside or outside of handle part 6. The handle part 6 itself preferablyis fabricated from a magnetically and electrically non-conductivematerial, in particular from plastic, glass, or ceramic.

FIG. 1B shows a cutaway view of the filter glasses 34 of FIG. 1. In theframe 35 of the filter glasses 34, in particular in the temple 38, thefirst transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 is disposed, so that it canbe capacitively coupled to the user. The first transmitting and/orreceiving unit 74, just like the second transmitting and/or receivingunit 77, comprises a printed circuit board 84 for generating and/orreceiving electromagnetic fields. To supply the printed circuit board 84with electrical energy, the first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74has at least one energy storage system 78. A memory unit 79 is used forthe storage and/or output of electrical signals and/or data. Thetransmitting and/or receiving unit 74 preferably is located in a housing80, the housing 80 being designed in such a way that the functionalityof the transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 can be maintained evenafter multiple cleaning, care and/or sterilization processes. Theprinted circuit board 84, the energy storage system 78 and the memoryunit 79 preferably are housed in a plastic housing 80 by means of aninjection molding process. Alternatively, housing 80 can consist ofglass or ceramic.

To connect the first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 detachablywith the medical system, in particular with the filter glasses 34, analternative embodiment of the housing 80 of the first transmittingand/or receiving unit 74 comprises a holding device, in particular athread, a clip, a clamp, and/or another type of retaining element

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the medical, in particular thedental system 2 with at least one medical, in particular dentalhandpiece 5 and a drive unit and/or control unit 20. Furthermore, thereare shown several examples of the accessory designed for the operationwith the handpiece 5 and/or for the operation with the drive unit and/orcontrol unit 20. For example, the accessory comprises a hand mirror 40,instrument holder 43, display unit 46, foot pedal 50, and identificationelement 53 for user identification and comprises a first transmittingand/or receiving unit 74 in each case.

The drive unit and/or control unit 20 comprises a housing 25 with ahandpiece holder 26 and a fluid tank 24. The at least one medicalhandpiece 5 with the second transmitting and/or receiving unit of FIG. 1can be coupled to its backside via a supply hose. On the front side, thedrive unit and/or control unit 20 comprises a second embodiment of theoperating unit 21. In addition to a display 22 and at least oneoperating element 23, unit 21 comprises a third transmitting and/orreceiving unit 90 for capacitively coupling electrical signals intoand/or out of the human body 81. The transmitting and/or receiving unit90 here preferably is integrated into display 22, which itself ispreferably designed as a touch screen. Both the second transmittingand/or receiving unit 77 of the handpiece 5, as well as the thirdtransmitting and/or receiving unit 90 of the drive unit and/or controlunit 20 are connected to the control circuit of unit 20.

The first embodiment of the accessory comprises a hand mirror 40 with ahandle part 41 and a mirror element 42 fastened thereto. The firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit 74 is preferably disposed in thehandle part 41. When the hand mirror 40 and the handpiece 5 and/or thedrive unit and/or control unit 20 are coupled to the human body 81 ofthe user, an electric path is established and electric signals can betransmitted between the first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 andthe second and/or third transmitting and/or receiving unit 77, 90. Thus,for example. if the transmitting and/or receiving unit 90 in the driveunit and/or control unit 20 or the transmitting and/or receiving unit 77in the handpiece 5 receives at least one electrical signal from thetransmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of the hand mirror 40, the controlcircuit of unit 20 activates the at least one straight handpiece orcontra-angled handpiece 5, preferably automatically, and in particularthe drive thereof. Thus, an automatic start and stop function for thestraight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece 5 is made possible. Manualactuation of the straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece 5,preferably by means of an on or off switch, is not necessary.Furthermore, through the transmission of electrical signals and/or datathe drive unit and/or control unit 20 detects that a user is present, sothat further functions, such as for example changing the drive unitand/or control unit 20 from an idle state to an active mode, can beimplemented.

The second example of the accessory comprises an instrument holder 43.This comprises, in addition to a housing 44, at least one connectingdevice 45 with at least one coupling element to hold the at least onemedical straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece 5 and/or a tool.Preferably, the connecting device 45 is mounted pivotably in the housing44. The first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 preferably isdisposed in the housing 44 of the instrument holder 43. Electricalsignals and/or data, preferably operating parameters of the at least onestraight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece 5 or tool held in theinstrument holder 43, can thereby be transmitted between the firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of the instrument holder 43through the human body of the user to the second transmitting and/orreceiving unit 77 of handpiece 5 coupled to the body or to the thirdtransmitting and/or receiving unit 90 of the drive unit and/or controlunit 20. When the second and/or third transmitting and/or receiving unit77, 90 in the drive unit and/or control unit 20 or in the handpiece 5receives electrical signals and/or data, in particular the operatingparameters from the first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of theinstrument holder 43, the drive unit and/or control unit 20, inparticular the control circuit thereof, automatically adjusts theoperating parameters for the at least one straight handpiece orcontra-angled handpiece 5 and/or tool assigned to the instrument holder43.

A further example of the accessory comprises a display unit 46, whichpreferably takes the form of a watch (or other wearable device), Inaddition to a display 47, the display unit 46 has a wrist strap 48 witha fastening element 49 to permit it to be connected preferably to an armof the user. The first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 preferablyis located in the wrist strap 48 and electrically connected with thedisplay 47. Electrical signals and/or data, preferably detected and/oradjusted parameters of the straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece5 and/or of the drive unit and/or control unit 20, can thereby betransmitted from the transmitting and/or receiving unit 77 of thehandpiece 5 or from the transmitting and/or receiving unit 90 of thedrive unit and/or control unit 20 through the human body of the user tothe transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 and display 47 of the displayunit 46. This permits displaying detected and/or adjusted parameters ofthe straight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece 5 and/or of the driveunit and/or control unit 20 directly in the treatment area of the user.

The fourth embodiment of the accessory comprises a foot pedal 50 for thedrive unit and/or control unit 20. The foot pedal 50 preferably servesto activate an electric drive in the handpiece 5, which is controlled bythe control circuit in the drive unit and/or control unit 20. The footpedal 50 comprises at least one pedal 51 as well at least one operatingelement 52. The pedal 51 preferably is used to regulate variableparameters, such as different speeds, and the operating element 52 isused to turn on and off the foot pedal 50 and/or to switch between thedifferent variable parameters. When actuated, both elements, the pedal51 and the operating element 52, send electrical signals to a controlunit in the foot pedal 50, which in turn is connected to the firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit 74. The transmitting and/or receivingunit 74 preferably is located in pedal 51. Alternatively, it can also bepositioned in the at least one operating element 52. Electrical signalsand/or data, such as rotational speed values, can thereby be transmittedfrom the transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of the foot pedal 50through the human body of the user to the second transmitting and/orreceiving unit 77 in the medical handpiece 5 and/or to the thirdtransmitting and/or receiving unit 90 in the drive unit and/or controlunit 20. The control circuit of the drive unit and/or control unit 20thus activates the electrical drive in the handpiece 5 as a function ofthe signals and/or of the data received from the foot pedal 50.Furthermore, the first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of footpedal 50 can also receive electrical signals and/or data, so that the atleast one foot pedal 51 can be assigned to several drive unit and/orcontrol units.

The fifth embodiment of the accessory comprises an identificationelement 53. Element 53 comprises a housing 54, in which the firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit 74 is disposed. The identificationelement 53 is used to identify the user of the medical system 2, inparticular for the automatic selection of operating programs and/oroperating parameters in the drive unit and/or control unit 20. Electricsignals and/or data, such as user codes, can be transmitted from thefirst transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of identification element 53through the human body of the user to the second transmitting and/orreceiving unit 77 in the medical handpiece 5 and/or to the thirdtransmitting and/or receiving unit 90 of the drive unit and/or controlunit 20. The drive unit and/or control unit 20 thus automatically setsup the operating programs and/or operating parameters as a function ofthe signals and/or data received.

FIG. 3 shows a third example of the medical, in particular the dentalsystem 3 with a medical, in particular a dental contra-angle handpiece 8and a first, especially cordless (hive unit and/or control unit 28,which can be connected to the contra-angle handpiece 8, a base station(or unit) 57, as well as a second drive unit and/or control unit 27,which in particular is disposed in or at a treatment unit 63.

The preferably cordless drive unit and/or control unit 28 which can beconnected to contra-angle handpiece 8 has a housing 29, in which acontrol circuit is disposed for controlling a drive, in particular, anelectric motor accommodated in the drive unit and/or control unit 28. Inaddition to the drive, the unit 28 preferably has at least one energystorage system for supplying the drive and/or the control circuit withelectrical energy, as well as at least one data memory for storing data.On the backside of the housing 29 the drive unit and/or control unit 28has at least two charging contacts 32, 33 for the energy storage system.For the display and adjustment of detected and/or preset operatingparameters and/or operating programs of the drive disposed in the driveunit and/or control unit 28 and/or of the connectable contra-anglehandpiece 8, the drive unit and/or control unit 28 has a display 30 aswell as at least one operating element 31.

To receive preset operating programs and/or operating parameters from afirst transmitting and/or receiving unit 74, which preferably isdisposed in the base station 57 or in the drive unit and/or control unit27 of treatment unit 63, the drive unit and/or control unit 28 comprisesa second transmitting and/or receiving unit 77. The second transmittingand/or receiving unit 77 is designed for receiving and transmittingsignals and/or data in order to transmit measured operating parametersof the drive and/or the contra-angle handpiece 8 to the base station 57and/or to the treatment unit 63. Both units, the first transmittingand/or receiving unit 74 and the second transmitting and/or receivingunit 77, are designed for the capacitive coupling of electrical signalsinto and/or out of the human body. If, for example, the drive unitand/or control unit 28, the base station 57, and/or the treatment device63 are coupled to the human body 81 of the user, electrical signalsand/or data can be transmitted between the first transmitting and/orreceiving unit 74 and the second transmitting and/or receiving unit 77.

The first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of the base station 57,which has a holder 58 and a charger 59 for the drive unit and/or controlunit 28, is therefore preferably disposed in or at a display 61 of anoperating unit 60 with at least one operating element 62 of the basestation 57 and connected with a memory unit located in the base station57 on which operating programs and/or operating programs can be stored.The display 61 in this example preferably is also implemented as a touchscreen. Electrical signals and/or data, in particular operatingparameters and/or operating programs, can hereby be transmitted duringuser selection using the touch screen 60 from the memory unit of thebase unit 57 to the drive unit and/or control unit 28. At the same time,operating parameters detected by the drive unit and/or control unit 28can be stored on the memory unit of the base station 57.

The transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of the second drive unitand/or control unit 27 preferably is disposed in or at the backrest 65and/or in or at the seating and/or reclining surface 66 for the personto be treated in the treatment unit 63 and connected with the secondtransmitting and/or receiving unit 27. In addition to the second driveunit and/or control unit 27 and the seating and/or reclining surface 66,the treatment unit 63 comprises an illumination system 64, a sink 68 anda supply line 67. The supply lead 67 serves, among other things, tosupply the drive unit and/or control unit 27 with electrical energy. Totransmit electrical signals and/or data between the second drive unitand/or control unit 27 and the wireless drive unit and/or control unit28, the first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 in the backrest 65and the second transmitting and/or receiving unit 77 in the drive unitand/or control unit 28 are designed for the capacitive coupling ofelectrical signals into and/or out of the human body and are disposed inthe backrest 65 and drive unit and/or control unit 28 in such a way thatthey can be coupled with the human body of the patient. To this end, thesecond transmitting and/or receiving unit 77 in the wireless drive unitand/or control unit 28 preferably is designed in such a way, that theelectric signals and/or data, in particular the electromagnetic fieldsgenerated, can be coupled with the human body of the patient, even whenthe latter does not touch or contact the second transmitting and/orreceiving unit 77 directly. Transmission of the electrical signalsand/or data is contact-free here. Furthermore, the arrangement shown inFIG. 4 permits electrical signals and/or data to be transmitted from thedrive unit and/or control unit 27 through the wireless drive unit and/orcontrol unit 28 to the base station 57.

FIG. 4 shows a fourth example of the medical or dental system 4 with aprocessing device 69 for the processing of a medical or a dentalstraight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece 9 and an accessory 55designed for the operation with the processing device. The processingdevice 69 preferably is constructed in the form of a sterilizer, inparticular of a steam sterilizer. The sterilizer comprises a housing 70with several outer walls. One outer wall, in particular a side wall,preferably forms the operating side of the processing device 69. Thelatter preferably comprises at least one operating unit 71 and at leastone operating element 73, which are used particular to select differentoperating programs or to set operating parameters and are connected to acontrol device to control and/or regulate the processing process. Inaddition to the operating unit 71, the housing 70 of the sterilizercomprises an opening that is connected to a processing chamber of thesterilizer. Through the opening, a straight handpiece or contra-angledhandpiece 9 or a medical accessory to be processed or cleaned can beintroduced into or taken out of the processing chamber. The opening canbe closed off by means of a door 72 which is preferably mountedrotatably through a hinge relative to the several walls of thesterilizer. Preferably, a media feed line to supply the at least onestraight handpiece or contra-angled handpiece 9 which is held in theprocessing chamber with a cleaning and/or care agent is arranged in theprocessing chamber.

For the automatic selection of different operating programs or operatingparameters as well as for identifying the user, the medical system 4comprises at least one first transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 andat least one second transmitting and/or receiving unit 77, The firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit 74 is disposed in the at least onemedical contra-angle handpiece 9, which is to be processed, inparticular in or at the handle part 10 thereof, and/or in the accessory55 designed for the operation with the processing device 69, inparticular designed as an identification element, and preferably in thehousing 56 thereof. At its rear end the contra-angle handpiece 9preferably comprises a coupling element 11 for coupling the contra-anglehandpiece 9 to the processing device 69, in particular to its mediafeed. The second transmitting and/or receiving unit 77 in this exampleis disposed in or at the operating unit 71 of processing device 69.Alternatively, it may be disposed in or at the operating element 73 orin or at the door 72 of the processing device 69.

Also in this embodiment, both the first transmitting and/or receivingunit 74 and the second transmitting and/or receiving unit 77 aredesigned for the capacitive coupling of electrical signals into and/orout of the human body. If the first transmitting and/or receiving unit74 and the second transmitting and/or receiving unit 77, in particularof the at least one contra-angle handpiece 9, of the identificationelement 55 and of the processing device 69, are coupled to the humanbody 81 of the user, an electrical path 82 is established for thetransmission of electrical signals between the at least two transmittingand/or receiving units 74, 77. Electrical signals sent from the firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of the medical contra-anglehandpiece 9 contain, in particular, the serial number of thecontra-angle handpiece 9 and/or the operating parameters for theprocessing device 69. The transmitting and/or receiving unit 74 of theidentification element 55 preferably transmits a user code to identifythe user. The second transmitting and/or receiving unit 77 receives theelectrical signals sent by the first transmitting and/or receiving unit74 and preferably forwards them to the control device of the processingdevice 69. In this way, operating parameters and/or operating programsare selected automatically depending on the contra-angled handpieces 9to be processed. Furthermore, by receiving user codes, the user of theprocessing device 69 is assigned to the processed straight handpiece orcontra-angled handpieces 9. Manual input of user data and/or operatingparameters for the contra-angle handpiece 9 to be cleaned, is thereby nolonger necessary.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but comprisesall embodiments, which employ or include the basic, analogous functionalprinciple of the invention. Furthermore, all the features of all theembodiments described and shown can be combined with one another.

What is claimed is:
 1. A medical or dental system comprising: a firsttransmitting and/or receiving unit, wherein the first transmittingand/or receiving unit is configured for capacitive coupling ofelectrical signals into and/or out of a human body, so that an electricpath which extends through a human body of a user of the medical ordental system can be established for the transmission of electricsignals between the first transmitting and/or receiving unit and asecond transmitting and/or receiving unit in order to transmitelectrical signals between the first and second transmitting and/orreceiving units, wherein the first transmitting and/or receiving unit isdisposed in or at glasses, wherein the glasses comprise filter glassesfor the detection of an anomaly of a tooth.
 2. The medical or dentalsystem according to claim 1, wherein the medical or dental systemfurther comprises a handpiece having the second transmitting and/orreceiving unit for capacitive coupling of electrical signals into and/orout of a human body.
 3. The medical or dental system according to claim2, wherein the handpiece further comprises: a first light-emitting diodefor the illumination of the treatment site, a second light-emittingdiode configured for detection of an anomaly, electric signals aretransmitted between the first transmitting and/or receiving unit and thesecond transmitting and/or receiving unit in order to control selectiveemission of electromagnetic radiation by the first light-emitting diodeor the second light-emitting diode.
 4. The medical or dental systemaccording to claim 3, wherein the first transmitting or receiving unitis configured to send electrical signals and the second transmitting orreceiving unit is configured to receive said electrical signals and toforward the signals to a control unit to automatically activate thefirst or second light-emitting diode.
 5. The medical or dental systemaccording to claim 2, wherein the handpiece is configured to drive atool operable to treat a treatment site.
 6. The medical or dental systemaccording to claim 4, wherein the glasses are configured to send theelectrical signals when the glasses are worn by the user.
 7. The medicalor dental system according to claim 1, wherein the glasses compriseprotective goggles.
 8. The medical or dental system according to claim1, wherein the filter glasses comprise two filters which are held in aholder and wherein the first transmitting or receiving unit is locatedin the holder.
 9. The medical or dental system according to claim 1,wherein the filter glasses comprise filters which are configured toallow radiation emitted from a tooth to be examined to pass through, thewavelength of the radiation being suitable for detecting an anomaly on atooth.
 10. The medical or dental system according to claim 1, whereinthe first transmitting or receiving unit is located in a temple of theglasses.
 11. The medical or dental system according to claim 1, whereinthe first transmitting or receiving comprises an energy storage system.12. The medical or dental system according to claim 2, wherein thesecond transmitting or receiving unit is located in or at a handle partor holding part of the handpiece.
 13. The medical or dental systemaccording to claim 2, wherein the second transmitting or receiving unitis located in or at an actuating or operating element of the handpiece.14. The medical or dental system according to claim 3, wherein thesecond light-emitting diode emits electromagnetic radiation whichcomprises one or more wavelengths ranging from about 380 nm to 420 nm.15. The medical or dental system according to claim 1, wherein theelectrical signals comprise data.
 16. A medical or dental systemcomprising: filter glasses for the detection of an anomaly of a toothhaving a transmitting unit which is configured for capacitive couplingof electrical signals into a human body, a handpiece having a receivingunit for capacitive coupling of electrical signals out of a human body,so that an electric path which extends through the human body of a userof the filter glasses and the handpiece can be established for thetransmission of the electric signals between the transmitting unit andthe receiving unit in order to transmit electrical signals from thetransmitting unit to the receiving unit.
 17. The medical or dentalsystem according to claim 16, wherein the handpiece further comprises: afirst light-emitting diode for the illumination of the treatment site, asecond light-emitting diode for detection of an anomaly, wherein throughthe electric path which extends through the human body of the userelectric signals are transmitted between the transmitting unit and thereceiving unit in order to control selective emission of electromagneticradiation by the first light-emitting diode or the second light-emittingdiode.
 18. The medical or dental system according to claim 16, whereinthe filter glasses for the detection of an anomaly of a tooth comprisefilters which are configured to allow radiation emitted from a tooth tobe examined to pass through, the wavelength of the radiation beingsuitable for detecting an anomaly on a tooth.
 19. The medical or dentalsystem according to claim 17, wherein the receiving unit of thehandpiece is configured to receive the electrical signal transmitted bythe transmitting unit of the filter glasses via the electric path whichextends through the human body of the user and to further transmit theelectrical signal to a control unit of the medical or dental system, sothat the control unit automatically activates the second light-emittingdiode for detection of an anomaly at a tooth.
 20. The medical or dentalsystem according to claim 16, wherein the second transmitting orreceiving unit is located in or at least one of: a handle part of thehandpiece; a holding part of the handpiece; an actuating element of thehandpiece; and an operating element of the handpiece.